UN: $21 million for critical humanitarian aid in Darfur, South Kordofan, Blue Nile

Pooled UN funds amounting to US$21 million have been earmarked to provide vital assistance to thousands of people in need of humanitarian assistance in newly accessible areas in Sudan.

A press statement by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan (OCHA) today, says that the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) have together allocated $21 million to address the most critical humanitarian needs and increase self-reliance of communities in newly accessible areas in Darfur’s Jebel Marra area, as well as in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

Humanitarian agencies

Humanitarian agencies will support vulnerable people in these areas where access was previously limited. In addition, acute watery diarrhoea cases and the continuing influx of refugees from South Sudan have been straining available resources and increasing pressure on the limited basic services in the targeted areas, the statement continues.

“This timely funding support will enable humanitarian partners in Sudan to provide life-saving food support, nutrition, water and sanitation, health and other assistance to thousands of children, women and men in newly accessible areas in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile”

“This timely funding support will enable humanitarian partners in Sudan to provide life-saving food support, nutrition, water and sanitation, health and other assistance to thousands of children, women and men in newly accessible areas in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile,” said Marta Ruedas, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan. “Our response will address both the immediate needs through emergency, life-saving assistance and strengthen resilience of the most vulnerable and their communities to future and recurring shocks.”

The CERF and SHF funding contributions come at a time when funding for the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2017 for Sudan is very low. The HRP 2017 appeals for U$804 million, of which almost $200 million has been received so far (25 per cent of the funds required), the OCHA statement concludes.